Culture

Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Prefers moisture-retentive soils with good drainage. Best sited in a sheltered location (e.g., sloping ground on the south side of the home) where chemical spraying will not pose any problems with adjacent areas. Avoid planting in low-lying areas which can act as frost pockets.

Self-pollinating.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Apricots are stone fruits which have golden orange, smooth-to-pubescent skin, fleshy fruit and a center pit or stone. Apricot varieties are grafted onto rootstocks, which control the size of the tree.

Genus name from Latin means plum or cherry tree.

Specific epithet means of Armenia, Western Asia.

'Wilson Delicious' is available in commerce as a standard tree (15-20' tall) or grafted to certain dwarfing rootstocks (6-12' tall). The tree growing at the Kemper center is grafted to a dwarf rootstock which limits its growth to 8-10' tall. Dwarf trees bear full-size fruit, but have the advantage of fitting into smaller sites, of being more manageable (easier to prune, spray, harvest) and of often bearing fruit at an earlier age. This cultivar features white flowers in very early spring followed by freestone apricots which ripen in early July in USDA Zone 5.

Problems

Apricots in general can be difficult to grow in Missouri because (a) their early blooming flowers (two weeks earlier than peaches) are extremely susceptible to frost injury and (2) insects/diseases. Potential disease problems include brown rot, root rot and bacterial leaf spot. Potential insect pests include plum curculio, borers and aphids. Mites can also be a problem. Although good sanitation practices are always essential, chemical spraying is usually necessary in order to adequately control pests.

Garden Uses

Grown primarily for the fruit crop, but has early-blooming ornamental value.

This dwarf apricot is ideal for smaller spaces because it is a small tree and is self-pollinating.